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Synthesis
In the article, Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees by Greg Hammill, the four most prominent generations in the workforce are discussed. These four generations; The Veterans, The Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y, all represent different values, beliefs, and work ethics. In many workplaces, these generations often mix and can be the reason for communication issues or tension. For instance, The Veterans work habits deal with authority, hard work, rules, individualism, and a job well done. The work habits from Generation X differ drastically, with the desire for equality in the workplace, the trait of challenging others, asking why, and the desire to do things one’s own way. Based on these two examples it is clear how, when combined, the two generations have the potential to encounter problems while working together.
As a group we can all agree on the fact that there are differences between the generations that are coming together in the work force. It’s inevitable that we will work with and for people from other __generations__ , making it all the more important that we are aware of these differences. We need to understand that people of other generations were brought up differently, taught differently, and learned to communicate differently. The key to working effectively with others is being flexible and open about your communication style from the beginning. By starting off aware of potential conflict that may arise teams can preemptively work toward solutions and take care to try to avoid those problems. __This slideshow__ highlights the different characteristics of the generations currently in the workplace (veterans, boomers, gen y, gen x) and discusses how to best engage them. As teachers we need to understand these differences and be able to communicate with any given generation effectively and naturally.
Although we all agreed that there are generational differences, many of us felt that the article put too much stock in our birth years. It’s important to look at the individual when trying to understand how we can work together best, and realize that generation is only one piece to a much bigger picture. People’s personalities and beliefs are more complicated than vague generational characteristics. It’s important that we not make assumptions based on a person's age and take the time to __get to know one another__ and how we can collaborate effectively. When different generations work hard at being a team we expand our perspectives and make sure everyone feels valued.
We now live in a time where there are 4 different generations trying to get along together and work. Every one of these generations has their own experience and work ethics. There are the veterans, the baby boomers, gen x as well as gen y, in that order goes from oldest to youngest. From my own experience I have witnessed this first hand, where I am a multi-tasking go go go type of person, and the veterans and baby boomers are one thing at a time, and cannot handle doing more than that. It gets very frustrating because each generation is so different. I think that the past 100 years’ things have changed so drastically and there are strict time frames in which people did a lot of work advanced this planet and then something new came along. This is all about technology and emerging things and that’s why it is making such a different between everyone.
This difference even starts back with family structure and education. Were families used to sit down for a meal with one another, and a college education was almost un heard of. Everyone just went to work, shut up and did as they were told. Now everyone has a opinion of how they should do things and the career path you take, but that does happen without a college education and the cost of that has gone out of this world. Family structures are broken and pieced back together. With different backgrounds, different ways of growing up and views on the world this makes it extremely hard to work with a person like this, but it happens everywhere, and will definitely happen with teachers and the way they teach.
Sarah
There are groupings as to the time frame in which someone was born. The different things that were happening during that period label these groupings. From Baby Boomers to Generation Y, there is a large span of events that have taken place throughout the generations. The issue with this is that there are a lot of cultural differences that are involved throughout these years. It can sometimes be really hard to communicate with someone from a different generation for that reason exactly.
The article that we read sums up pretty well why the differences exist. “Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons.” By using that quote, there is a way to find an understanding between the generations in order to accomplish the end goal, no matter how large or small that end goal might be. Each individual must learn how to communicate with other generations in order to eliminate conflict in public environments.
To do so, it takes time and patience to really try and understand where the other group is coming from. Each generation has a different structure. Whether it be with family or with their education, things were handled differently. In the eyes of a Baby Boomer, they might think that generation Y has it a little easier just because they aren’t forced to do as much as the Baby Boomers might feel they were. Things are not as strict as the used to be. On the other hand, Generation Y feels that they have the same kinds of struggles that Baby Boomers have because it is a generation in which people were allowed to think freely, and sometimes that free thinking space is not provided for them. This comes to building ideas, maybe finding a different way to make things work other than just getting it done, and seeming all around more creative.
It can be generally difficult to work the differences out between the two groups but it is important that sometimes you just have to explain things differently to different people. At the end of the day, the end goal is usually the same, it is just a matter as to how you get there that can really affect the people around you.
John
During my time student teaching, I had the opportunity to work alongside different generations at the school. From my experiences there, I definitely noticed the different attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits, and motivational buttons for different teachers. The analogy this article offers of a large family dinner and how the conversation usually turns to, “I remember the old days” or “I remember when.” This is another thing that I’m sure many people have experienced, making this analogy very fitting. I have never thought about lifestyle characteristics with each generation. Looking at some of them, whether it’s how they communicate or how they spend their money or if they just save it up, I learned a lot about each generations characteristics. Things like maybe not spending Christmas together as a family were really interesting to think about because every year my own family gets together to enjoy each other’s company. I think this article brings up an interesting case in the work place. When you have different generations in one work place, it’s possible that their will eventually be some sort of disagreement or altercation between employees. When one generation finds work to be a challenge and contract when the newer generation sees it as a means to an end, those two may have some sort of conflict with how they each do their job. Or if an older generation sees that they aren’t as excited as they are for their work and creates some sort of conflict that way. Thinking about different generations in the work place is, again, something that I have never thought of. Not exactly anyway. I have noticed older generations and how they do things. I also noticed how a lot of the time, I may not agree with the way they do things.
Jordan
Times are changing and we need to change with the times. Kids are entering the working world alongside four different generations. Naturally, different generations bring multiple ideas and styles for ways in which to get things done in the workplace. Interactions can sometimes be non understanding and frustrating between generations. Thinking as a teacher, students need to be adequately prepared to communicate with others. Being able to understand, collaborate, and work alongside all types of people is critical. I believe students need to know the value of listening to what others have to say. A quote by Stephen R. Covey that portrays the message of communication in this article is “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Being able to elaborate on others thoughts in the workplace rather than just responding to get them out of your hair, can change the world. This article proves that students need understand the importance of being able to communicate with others. In students, I hope to instill the value of Stephen R. Coveys quote so they themselves will want to change the world by eliminating one meaningless conversation at a time. I believe that students learn about different strategies to communicate but they do not learn the importance of listening with intent.
Riley
The idea that generations are so different (perhaps the reason we don't always get along so well) is one that I've never really thought about, but I'm intrigued by the idea. I think generational gap has a lot to do with why teachers and students have different ideas when it comes to school work. Thinking about it now, the generational gap is probably a big reason as to why students have a tendency to get along better with the younger "cool" teachers. That's definitely good to know though because I think as young teachers it's going to be our job to work with the older teachers to help them understand their student's core values and beliefs (even though we may not fully understand them ourselves). I know one big difference I will have to adjust to when I become a teacher is the complete dependence on technology. I know my generation is very good with technology, but the upcoming high schoolers are the first kids who were born in the technology age (they're the first group that got iPhones for their first phone).
Mike
After reading "Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees" by Greg Hammill, I realized how different our generations are. We have four different types of generations all in the same workforce and those generations are: Veterans/ Silent, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials. Between these four generations, there is a common trend. They lack communication skills and relationship building techniques which can stem from the differences between the generations. Between them, they have many differences in their work ethic, leadership, feedback and work/family life. I believe I will encounter some of these issues going into a profession where we need to work longer than most to reach retirement. We will encounter all of these and we need try and find a better way to understand each other and communicate. You need to know who you are talking to, understand what their core beliefs are to really get through to everyone. One big quote I found was "Learning how to communicate with the different generations can eliminate many major confrontations and misunderstandings in the workplace or the business world"(Hammill). We as educators need to understand that each generation was raised differently, taught differently and sometimes it's hard to derive from that path they took. Which is where confrontations can come into play. My generation, loves the use of technology but the older generations hates it and thinks it is a distraction. We need to be more understanding not only to our workers but our students. As we get older, generations will shift and we need to adjust to the ever changing world.
Elizabeth
For the first time, four generations of people are together in the workforce. While people from different generations can create dream teams of people who can look at a problem from a variety of perspectives, conflicts can sometimes arise due to generational differences. Therefore, it’s important that one’s aware of how people of their generation might see the world differently than their older or younger co-workers.
The world is ever-changing. I think that, in order for people of multiple generations to work together successfully, everyone must be willing to be somewhat flexible. For example, a group of people must be opening to communicating with each other through different mediums over the course of a long-term project. If one of the group members decides that they only want to receive communications through memos or emails, their unwillingness to try something new or compromise may hinder the productivity of the group. This is why I think that team members getting to know each other, also known as team bonding, is essential. Teams need some unstructured time where they can get to know each other better and answer questions like, “Who wants to take the leadership role for this project?” and “What’s the best method of communication for me to reach you with?”. The more that the group members learn about each other in low-stress environments, the better they will work together under pressure. In the end, it’s not about what generation you belong to, it’s about who you are and who your co-workers are. It’s about how to make everyone feel valued and heard.
Kate
Having four completely different generations working alongside each other in the workplace is something that is proving to be difficult for all of the different generations. With the Veterans/Silent, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y all existing and working together, the differences and struggles these generations have to work well together are becoming more and more prominent.
As stated by Greg Hammill in this article, “Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons.” The way that Baby Boomers and Generation X’s communicate and look at the world, is far different than that of a Veteran or a Generation Y person. While sometimes, these different outlooks and ideas can be beneficial and help expand our worldview, it also creates a generational gap between people who are trying to work together towards a common goal. This is going to be something that only continues to happen as the times and the world change around us, and as teachers, we’re going to have to learn to work with people of other generations in a close proximity. Chances are, as teachers, we’re going to have co workers from another generation working alongside us, and students who belong to another generation that we’re going to have to teach. But, with good and open communication with co workers and students, those generational gaps will begin to close and not seem like as much of an issue.
Costa
This was definitely an interesting article, and it put forth a few ideas about generational differences that I hadn’t considered before. I can’t say that I agree with everything said in the article, for example I feel the need to point out how inaccurate it is that millennials prefer to use voicemail and email to communicate, but I do agree with the overall message that we should be considering generational factors when trying to work with others. Having said that, I think it is already best practice to get to know the preferred forms of communication and work style whenever people are working together in a professional setting, no matter what generation they're from. Although the generalities of this article can help people understand how differences in generations can affect people working together, I think if an effort is made to learn about the individuals, then collaboration will be much more successful, and any stereotypes or assumptions about the different generations would be avoided. I also feel like I should include that although I can see the point being made by this article, and I recognize how generation may play a role in the workplace, I can’t recall any moments in my working career in which I feel generation played a role in a miscommunication or disagreement. Now that I think of it though, I do recall making the poor decision to discuss politics with my Generation X cousin, who condescendingly claimed that I was only liberally minded because I was young, but once I got older I would become more conservative. He’s wrong of course, but it’s quite possible that generational differences exacerbated our poor communication.
Samantha
In Greg Hammill’s article “Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees” the importance of being aware of generational differences becomes evident through the many examples explained. The four generations that we are encountering in the workplace are Veterans, Baby Boomers, Gen Y, and Gen X. Hammill expresses the importance of having this knowledge, to improve workplace relationships, but the information was also applicable to everyday life relationships. While I think this is definitely significant for young people to keep in mind, I found that this article kind of simplified characteristics of the generation, and did not offer much explanation to his reasoning. I also felt like there was a bias towards Gen Y, but maybe because it was published over ten years ago attributes to this author’s mindset.
Nonetheless, successful workplace relationships are crucial for a teacher’s success. When collaborating with other teachers, administration, parents, or anyone regarding school that comes from a different generation, one should keep an open mind and communicate openly about expectations and norms. I don’t think anyone should walk up to someone from a veteran generation and say “well you only do this because you are from that generation” because I don’t think anyone’s personality or beliefs should be simplified to that extent. Generational differences are a good piece of information to keep in mind in a workplace environment. However, I think that when working with four different generations, the best thing one can do is being open minded and accommodating to others, and always ask before you assume!
Nicholas
Schools represent an interesting mixing ground, in that they blend together not only, co-workers of many generations, but also students, with yet another generational divide. One interesting pattern in the characteristics of the generations is that they alternate between liberal and conservative, and the generation currently in school, those of 12-13 years-old right now, seem to fit the pattern. Preliminary studies have revealed that the “generation Z” students are more likely to be conservative/libertarian than their Millennial counterparts. This further generational divide could leave millennial teachers without a way to relate to their students as even more characteristics of the next generation emerge. That said the Millennials and their Generation Z students will be able to communicate more effectively than a “Boomer” a Millennial as both of the most recent generations grew up with relatively similar technology. There is, however an inherent difference between the way that a business operates and a school operates, namely that teachers have to be constantly recertified. In that case teachers are often up to date with the latest practices and theories in their field. Whereas in another industry, such as software engineering, where rapidly changing technology makes the training received by one generation of employees obsolete by the time the next generation shows up in the workforce, generational differences in communication and hierarchy are more pronounced. Furthermore, most of educational theory is a rehash of Bloom’s taxonomy. While grading scales and target standards change fairly rapidly, the actual methods of teaching are somewhat static. While new technology and grading scales change the way schools look, good teaching functions the same as it ever did. Thus the generational gap between teachers may be less pronounced.
Marissa
Although it’s true that differences in communication styles and expectations exist I think this article overstates the divide between generations. Furthermore, the assertion that millennials preferred method of communication is voicemail is so misguided I question whether the author has ever known one. It would quite literally be impossible for any person to enter the workforce without ever having worked or had a relationship with a person from another generation. Whether it be teachers, parents or other family members, everyone has intergenerational experiences throughout their formative years. Of course, the quality of these experiences and relationships will be better for some than for others. The success of these relationships could certainly be a good indicator for success in the workplace. Ideally, children and young adults are learning to engage with other generations by spending time with their families. For those students who don’t have access to family interactions or have substandard familial relationships there are school relationships. If a student can get through their entire education without one meaningful relationship with an adult, we have done them a great disservice. The more opportunities we can provide for students to have consequential relationships with people from other generations the better they will adjust to a generationally diverse workforce. But the burden isn’t all on millennials. It’s relatively innate to interact with those from older generations, but it often takes a conscious effort to get to know those younger than you. It’s easy (and cliché) for older generations to ridicule the values of millennials but nothing says egocentric like the inability to compromise and appreciate others for their differences.
Alaina
While I was reading the piece on generations I couldn’t help but continually make connections to people that I knew. For instance, when the article named millennial’s, like myself, as realist, social people who desire extreme fun, I felt as though they hit the nail on the head. I could also vouch for the way families, communication, money and education are looked at in this generation as well. What I valued the most out of the article was the glimpse it gave me as to how other generations function, and which beliefs they possess. As someone who will soon be entering into the teaching world, I know that as a millennial I will be best when I set goals for myself. In addition, I might be better at working in meetings with Boomers, as I am a participative person and able to multitask/take notes. This article also gave me insight as to how other generations might perceive my actions. For instance, I might be laid back about getting something done, while a Boomer takes a suggestion as a direct order. In addition, I think that one difficulty I will have working with Generation X is the characteristic of challenging others. I think that this will be tolerated, but also something difficult for me to personally get used to. Lastly, I can understand the difference with generations in the work place. During student teaching two of the team teachers were millennials, while two were from Gen X. In terms of planning and getting things done, both of the younger team teachers were much better about multi-tasking and taking on additional work. In addition, that Gen. X team members were list orientated, structured, and often questioned the things they were doing. It is interesting to think of what the team dynamic would have been like if it were all one generation. Overall, I thought this article gave me great insight as to how to work with other generations and understand their backgrounds. I think that having this knowledge will make me better able to tolerate people I work with in the future. I am curious to see the characteristics of the next generation, as those will be the students I am teaching.
Nick
Schools represent an interesting mixing ground, in that they blend together not only, co-workers of many generations, but also students, with yet another generational divide. One interesting pattern in the characteristics of the generations is that they alternate between liberal and conservative, and the generation currently in school, those of 12-13 years-old right now, seem to fit the pattern. Preliminary studies have revealed that the “generation Z” students are more likely to be conservative/libertarian than their Millennial counterparts. This further generational divide could leave millennial teachers without a way to relate to their students as even more characteristics of the next generation emerge. That said the Millennials and their Generation Z students will be able to communicate more effectively than a “Boomer” a Millennial as both of the most recent generations grew up with relatively similar technology. There is, however an inherent difference between the way that a business operates and a school operates, namely that teachers have to be constantly recertified. In that case teachers are often up to date with the latest practices and theories in their field. Whereas in another industry, such as software engineering, where rapidly changing technology makes the training received by one generation of employees obsolete by the time the next generation shows up in the workforce, generational differences in communication and hierarchy are more pronounced. Furthermore, most of educational theory is a rehash of Bloom’s taxonomy. While grading scales and target standards change fairly rapidly, the actual methods of teaching are somewhat static. While new technology and grading scales change the way schools look, good teaching functions the same as it ever did. Thus the generational gap between teachers may be less pronounced.
Rhi
Having a perspective on different generations and the characteristics of the people within those generations value is incredibly important to have in the field of education. It is important to be able to understand other teachers who also work in your school district, so that we are able to better work as a team to enhance and educate the students we have. We are at a time in education where there are a lot of teachers nearing retirement age as well as a lot of incoming teachers who are just starting out. While both of these generations have a lot of background and much to offer, the way they educate and styles of teaching are different based on the time that they grew up in. I think both types of teachers can offer a lot to any school, but it is important that both generations have open minds and are always willing to learn from one another. This large gap between generations among coworkers can create a lot of strife in the workplace, but working together, I think, can be the best way to create an interpersonal and communicative environment for everyone.
It is important to have these inside ideas about generations as well when considering students. Students come from a very different generation that values different ideas and characteristics. When issues arise with a group of students, the issue could be as easy to solve as trying to cater to their generational values rather than your own. These are ideas that I had not thought much about previously, but now I plan to take into consideration when starting as a new teacher working with veteran teachers, and also when coming up with solutions for problems within my classroom. It never occurred to me that working with members of other generations could be so difficult or so simple to solve.
Laura
I found this article interesting and, in some ways, surprising. First of all, I completely agree that generational differences can present conflicts and misunderstandings in the workplace because each generation communicates differently and has differing sets of values and beliefs; I can see this within my own family. However, I did not realize that this is the first time in history that we have four generations “working side by side” (Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y). Now that this fact has been brought to my attention, however, I realize that it is extremely important that each generation learns to understand and foster respect for the others. The article makes an interesting point along these lines: it claims that in order to understand others, one first must understand him or herself. So, I took it upon myself to figure out if I fit in with the charts’ sets of criteria for my generation (Generation Y). For the most part, I did, and I can see how many of my peers reflect the values and beliefs that the charts recognize. It was also helpful to see how the typical values/beliefs of my generation stacked up against those of the other generations in a side-by-side comparison. Reading this article also made me aware of the fact that as a future teacher, I am going to be working with colleagues from all different generations, not just Millennials like myself. I also realize that the transition from college, in which I am for the most part surrounded by individuals who are close to my age and share many of the same values/beliefs as me, into the professional world could pose a challenge. For example, there will be teachers in my school who have been teaching for many years and consequentially could have entirely different philosophies than my own.
Synthesis
In the article, Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees by Greg Hammill, the four most prominent generations in the workforce are discussed. These four generations; The Veterans, The Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y, all represent different values, beliefs, and work ethics. In many workplaces, these generations often mix and can be the reason for communication issues or tension. For instance, The Veterans work habits deal with authority, hard work, rules, individualism, and a job well done. The work habits from Generation X differ drastically, with the desire for equality in the workplace, the trait of challenging others, asking why, and the desire to do things one’s own way. Based on these two examples it is clear how, when combined, the two generations have the potential to encounter problems while working together.
As a group we can all agree on the fact that there are differences between the generations that are coming together in the work force. It’s inevitable that we will work with and for people from other __generations__ , making it all the more important that we are aware of these differences. We need to understand that people of other generations were brought up differently, taught differently, and learned to communicate differently. The key to working effectively with others is being flexible and open about your communication style from the beginning. By starting off aware of potential conflict that may arise teams can preemptively work toward solutions and take care to try to avoid those problems. __This slideshow__ highlights the different characteristics of the generations currently in the workplace (veterans, boomers, gen y, gen x) and discusses how to best engage them. As teachers we need to understand these differences and be able to communicate with any given generation effectively and naturally.
Although we all agreed that there are generational differences, many of us felt that the article put too much stock in our birth years. It’s important to look at the individual when trying to understand how we can work together best, and realize that generation is only one piece to a much bigger picture. People’s personalities and beliefs are more complicated than vague generational characteristics. It’s important that we not make assumptions based on a person's age and take the time to __get to know one another__ and how we can collaborate effectively. When different generations work hard at being a team we expand our perspectives and make sure everyone feels valued.
Table of Contents
Miranda
We now live in a time where there are 4 different generations trying to get along together and work. Every one of these generations has their own experience and work ethics. There are the veterans, the baby boomers, gen x as well as gen y, in that order goes from oldest to youngest. From my own experience I have witnessed this first hand, where I am a multi-tasking go go go type of person, and the veterans and baby boomers are one thing at a time, and cannot handle doing more than that. It gets very frustrating because each generation is so different. I think that the past 100 years’ things have changed so drastically and there are strict time frames in which people did a lot of work advanced this planet and then something new came along. This is all about technology and emerging things and that’s why it is making such a different between everyone.
This difference even starts back with family structure and education. Were families used to sit down for a meal with one another, and a college education was almost un heard of. Everyone just went to work, shut up and did as they were told. Now everyone has a opinion of how they should do things and the career path you take, but that does happen without a college education and the cost of that has gone out of this world. Family structures are broken and pieced back together. With different backgrounds, different ways of growing up and views on the world this makes it extremely hard to work with a person like this, but it happens everywhere, and will definitely happen with teachers and the way they teach.
Sarah
There are groupings as to the time frame in which someone was born. The different things that were happening during that period label these groupings. From Baby Boomers to Generation Y, there is a large span of events that have taken place throughout the generations. The issue with this is that there are a lot of cultural differences that are involved throughout these years. It can sometimes be really hard to communicate with someone from a different generation for that reason exactly.The article that we read sums up pretty well why the differences exist. “Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons.” By using that quote, there is a way to find an understanding between the generations in order to accomplish the end goal, no matter how large or small that end goal might be. Each individual must learn how to communicate with other generations in order to eliminate conflict in public environments.
To do so, it takes time and patience to really try and understand where the other group is coming from. Each generation has a different structure. Whether it be with family or with their education, things were handled differently. In the eyes of a Baby Boomer, they might think that generation Y has it a little easier just because they aren’t forced to do as much as the Baby Boomers might feel they were. Things are not as strict as the used to be. On the other hand, Generation Y feels that they have the same kinds of struggles that Baby Boomers have because it is a generation in which people were allowed to think freely, and sometimes that free thinking space is not provided for them. This comes to building ideas, maybe finding a different way to make things work other than just getting it done, and seeming all around more creative.
It can be generally difficult to work the differences out between the two groups but it is important that sometimes you just have to explain things differently to different people. At the end of the day, the end goal is usually the same, it is just a matter as to how you get there that can really affect the people around you.
John
During my time student teaching, I had the opportunity to work alongside different generations at the school. From my experiences there, I definitely noticed the different attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits, and motivational buttons for different teachers. The analogy this article offers of a large family dinner and how the conversation usually turns to, “I remember the old days” or “I remember when.” This is another thing that I’m sure many people have experienced, making this analogy very fitting. I have never thought about lifestyle characteristics with each generation. Looking at some of them, whether it’s how they communicate or how they spend their money or if they just save it up, I learned a lot about each generations characteristics. Things like maybe not spending Christmas together as a family were really interesting to think about because every year my own family gets together to enjoy each other’s company. I think this article brings up an interesting case in the work place. When you have different generations in one work place, it’s possible that their will eventually be some sort of disagreement or altercation between employees. When one generation finds work to be a challenge and contract when the newer generation sees it as a means to an end, those two may have some sort of conflict with how they each do their job. Or if an older generation sees that they aren’t as excited as they are for their work and creates some sort of conflict that way. Thinking about different generations in the work place is, again, something that I have never thought of. Not exactly anyway. I have noticed older generations and how they do things. I also noticed how a lot of the time, I may not agree with the way they do things.Jordan
Times are changing and we need to change with the times. Kids are entering the working world alongside four different generations. Naturally, different generations bring multiple ideas and styles for ways in which to get things done in the workplace. Interactions can sometimes be non understanding and frustrating between generations. Thinking as a teacher, students need to be adequately prepared to communicate with others. Being able to understand, collaborate, and work alongside all types of people is critical. I believe students need to know the value of listening to what others have to say. A quote by Stephen R. Covey that portrays the message of communication in this article is “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Being able to elaborate on others thoughts in the workplace rather than just responding to get them out of your hair, can change the world. This article proves that students need understand the importance of being able to communicate with others. In students, I hope to instill the value of Stephen R. Coveys quote so they themselves will want to change the world by eliminating one meaningless conversation at a time. I believe that students learn about different strategies to communicate but they do not learn the importance of listening with intent.
Riley
The idea that generations are so different (perhaps the reason we don't always get along so well) is one that I've never really thought about, but I'm intrigued by the idea. I think generational gap has a lot to do with why teachers and students have different ideas when it comes to school work. Thinking about it now, the generational gap is probably a big reason as to why students have a tendency to get along better with the younger "cool" teachers. That's definitely good to know though because I think as young teachers it's going to be our job to work with the older teachers to help them understand their student's core values and beliefs (even though we may not fully understand them ourselves). I know one big difference I will have to adjust to when I become a teacher is the complete dependence on technology. I know my generation is very good with technology, but the upcoming high schoolers are the first kids who were born in the technology age (they're the first group that got iPhones for their first phone).
Mike
After reading "Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees" by Greg Hammill, I realized how different our generations are. We have four different types of generations all in the same workforce and those generations are: Veterans/ Silent, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials. Between these four generations, there is a common trend. They lack communication skills and relationship building techniques which can stem from the differences between the generations. Between them, they have many differences in their work ethic, leadership, feedback and work/family life. I believe I will encounter some of these issues going into a profession where we need to work longer than most to reach retirement. We will encounter all of these and we need try and find a better way to understand each other and communicate. You need to know who you are talking to, understand what their core beliefs are to really get through to everyone. One big quote I found was "Learning how to communicate with the different generations can eliminate many major confrontations and misunderstandings in the workplace or the business world"(Hammill). We as educators need to understand that each generation was raised differently, taught differently and sometimes it's hard to derive from that path they took. Which is where confrontations can come into play. My generation, loves the use of technology but the older generations hates it and thinks it is a distraction. We need to be more understanding not only to our workers but our students. As we get older, generations will shift and we need to adjust to the ever changing world.Elizabeth
For the first time, four generations of people are together in the workforce. While people from different generations can create dream teams of people who can look at a problem from a variety of perspectives, conflicts can sometimes arise due to generational differences. Therefore, it’s important that one’s aware of how people of their generation might see the world differently than their older or younger co-workers.The world is ever-changing. I think that, in order for people of multiple generations to work together successfully, everyone must be willing to be somewhat flexible. For example, a group of people must be opening to communicating with each other through different mediums over the course of a long-term project. If one of the group members decides that they only want to receive communications through memos or emails, their unwillingness to try something new or compromise may hinder the productivity of the group. This is why I think that team members getting to know each other, also known as team bonding, is essential. Teams need some unstructured time where they can get to know each other better and answer questions like, “Who wants to take the leadership role for this project?” and “What’s the best method of communication for me to reach you with?”. The more that the group members learn about each other in low-stress environments, the better they will work together under pressure. In the end, it’s not about what generation you belong to, it’s about who you are and who your co-workers are. It’s about how to make everyone feel valued and heard.
Kate
Having four completely different generations working alongside each other in the workplace is something that is proving to be difficult for all of the different generations. With the Veterans/Silent, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y all existing and working together, the differences and struggles these generations have to work well together are becoming more and more prominent.As stated by Greg Hammill in this article, “Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons.” The way that Baby Boomers and Generation X’s communicate and look at the world, is far different than that of a Veteran or a Generation Y person. While sometimes, these different outlooks and ideas can be beneficial and help expand our worldview, it also creates a generational gap between people who are trying to work together towards a common goal. This is going to be something that only continues to happen as the times and the world change around us, and as teachers, we’re going to have to learn to work with people of other generations in a close proximity. Chances are, as teachers, we’re going to have co workers from another generation working alongside us, and students who belong to another generation that we’re going to have to teach. But, with good and open communication with co workers and students, those generational gaps will begin to close and not seem like as much of an issue.
Costa
This was definitely an interesting article, and it put forth a few ideas about generational differences that I hadn’t considered before. I can’t say that I agree with everything said in the article, for example I feel the need to point out how inaccurate it is that millennials prefer to use voicemail and email to communicate, but I do agree with the overall message that we should be considering generational factors when trying to work with others. Having said that, I think it is already best practice to get to know the preferred forms of communication and work style whenever people are working together in a professional setting, no matter what generation they're from. Although the generalities of this article can help people understand how differences in generations can affect people working together, I think if an effort is made to learn about the individuals, then collaboration will be much more successful, and any stereotypes or assumptions about the different generations would be avoided. I also feel like I should include that although I can see the point being made by this article, and I recognize how generation may play a role in the workplace, I can’t recall any moments in my working career in which I feel generation played a role in a miscommunication or disagreement. Now that I think of it though, I do recall making the poor decision to discuss politics with my Generation X cousin, who condescendingly claimed that I was only liberally minded because I was young, but once I got older I would become more conservative. He’s wrong of course, but it’s quite possible that generational differences exacerbated our poor communication.
Samantha
In Greg Hammill’s article “Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees” the importance of being aware of generational differences becomes evident through the many examples explained. The four generations that we are encountering in the workplace are Veterans, Baby Boomers, Gen Y, and Gen X. Hammill expresses the importance of having this knowledge, to improve workplace relationships, but the information was also applicable to everyday life relationships. While I think this is definitely significant for young people to keep in mind, I found that this article kind of simplified characteristics of the generation, and did not offer much explanation to his reasoning. I also felt like there was a bias towards Gen Y, but maybe because it was published over ten years ago attributes to this author’s mindset.
Nonetheless, successful workplace relationships are crucial for a teacher’s success. When collaborating with other teachers, administration, parents, or anyone regarding school that comes from a different generation, one should keep an open mind and communicate openly about expectations and norms. I don’t think anyone should walk up to someone from a veteran generation and say “well you only do this because you are from that generation” because I don’t think anyone’s personality or beliefs should be simplified to that extent. Generational differences are a good piece of information to keep in mind in a workplace environment. However, I think that when working with four different generations, the best thing one can do is being open minded and accommodating to others, and always ask before you assume!
Nicholas
Schools represent an interesting mixing ground, in that they blend together not only, co-workers of many generations, but also students, with yet another generational divide. One interesting pattern in the characteristics of the generations is that they alternate between liberal and conservative, and the generation currently in school, those of 12-13 years-old right now, seem to fit the pattern. Preliminary studies have revealed that the “generation Z” students are more likely to be conservative/libertarian than their Millennial counterparts. This further generational divide could leave millennial teachers without a way to relate to their students as even more characteristics of the next generation emerge. That said the Millennials and their Generation Z students will be able to communicate more effectively than a “Boomer” a Millennial as both of the most recent generations grew up with relatively similar technology. There is, however an inherent difference between the way that a business operates and a school operates, namely that teachers have to be constantly recertified. In that case teachers are often up to date with the latest practices and theories in their field. Whereas in another industry, such as software engineering, where rapidly changing technology makes the training received by one generation of employees obsolete by the time the next generation shows up in the workforce, generational differences in communication and hierarchy are more pronounced. Furthermore, most of educational theory is a rehash of Bloom’s taxonomy. While grading scales and target standards change fairly rapidly, the actual methods of teaching are somewhat static. While new technology and grading scales change the way schools look, good teaching functions the same as it ever did. Thus the generational gap between teachers may be less pronounced.Marissa
Although it’s true that differences in communication styles and expectations exist I think this article overstates the divide between generations. Furthermore, the assertion that millennials preferred method of communication is voicemail is so misguided I question whether the author has ever known one. It would quite literally be impossible for any person to enter the workforce without ever having worked or had a relationship with a person from another generation. Whether it be teachers, parents or other family members, everyone has intergenerational experiences throughout their formative years. Of course, the quality of these experiences and relationships will be better for some than for others. The success of these relationships could certainly be a good indicator for success in the workplace. Ideally, children and young adults are learning to engage with other generations by spending time with their families. For those students who don’t have access to family interactions or have substandard familial relationships there are school relationships. If a student can get through their entire education without one meaningful relationship with an adult, we have done them a great disservice. The more opportunities we can provide for students to have consequential relationships with people from other generations the better they will adjust to a generationally diverse workforce. But the burden isn’t all on millennials. It’s relatively innate to interact with those from older generations, but it often takes a conscious effort to get to know those younger than you. It’s easy (and cliché) for older generations to ridicule the values of millennials but nothing says egocentric like the inability to compromise and appreciate others for their differences.Alaina
While I was reading the piece on generations I couldn’t help but continually make connections to people that I knew. For instance, when the article named millennial’s, like myself, as realist, social people who desire extreme fun, I felt as though they hit the nail on the head. I could also vouch for the way families, communication, money and education are looked at in this generation as well. What I valued the most out of the article was the glimpse it gave me as to how other generations function, and which beliefs they possess. As someone who will soon be entering into the teaching world, I know that as a millennial I will be best when I set goals for myself. In addition, I might be better at working in meetings with Boomers, as I am a participative person and able to multitask/take notes. This article also gave me insight as to how other generations might perceive my actions. For instance, I might be laid back about getting something done, while a Boomer takes a suggestion as a direct order. In addition, I think that one difficulty I will have working with Generation X is the characteristic of challenging others. I think that this will be tolerated, but also something difficult for me to personally get used to. Lastly, I can understand the difference with generations in the work place. During student teaching two of the team teachers were millennials, while two were from Gen X. In terms of planning and getting things done, both of the younger team teachers were much better about multi-tasking and taking on additional work. In addition, that Gen. X team members were list orientated, structured, and often questioned the things they were doing. It is interesting to think of what the team dynamic would have been like if it were all one generation. Overall, I thought this article gave me great insight as to how to work with other generations and understand their backgrounds. I think that having this knowledge will make me better able to tolerate people I work with in the future. I am curious to see the characteristics of the next generation, as those will be the students I am teaching.
Nick
Schools represent an interesting mixing ground, in that they blend together not only, co-workers of many generations, but also students, with yet another generational divide. One interesting pattern in the characteristics of the generations is that they alternate between liberal and conservative, and the generation currently in school, those of 12-13 years-old right now, seem to fit the pattern. Preliminary studies have revealed that the “generation Z” students are more likely to be conservative/libertarian than their Millennial counterparts. This further generational divide could leave millennial teachers without a way to relate to their students as even more characteristics of the next generation emerge. That said the Millennials and their Generation Z students will be able to communicate more effectively than a “Boomer” a Millennial as both of the most recent generations grew up with relatively similar technology. There is, however an inherent difference between the way that a business operates and a school operates, namely that teachers have to be constantly recertified. In that case teachers are often up to date with the latest practices and theories in their field. Whereas in another industry, such as software engineering, where rapidly changing technology makes the training received by one generation of employees obsolete by the time the next generation shows up in the workforce, generational differences in communication and hierarchy are more pronounced. Furthermore, most of educational theory is a rehash of Bloom’s taxonomy. While grading scales and target standards change fairly rapidly, the actual methods of teaching are somewhat static. While new technology and grading scales change the way schools look, good teaching functions the same as it ever did. Thus the generational gap between teachers may be less pronounced.
Rhi
Having a perspective on different generations and the characteristics of the people within those generations value is incredibly important to have in the field of education. It is important to be able to understand other teachers who also work in your school district, so that we are able to better work as a team to enhance and educate the students we have. We are at a time in education where there are a lot of teachers nearing retirement age as well as a lot of incoming teachers who are just starting out. While both of these generations have a lot of background and much to offer, the way they educate and styles of teaching are different based on the time that they grew up in. I think both types of teachers can offer a lot to any school, but it is important that both generations have open minds and are always willing to learn from one another. This large gap between generations among coworkers can create a lot of strife in the workplace, but working together, I think, can be the best way to create an interpersonal and communicative environment for everyone.It is important to have these inside ideas about generations as well when considering students. Students come from a very different generation that values different ideas and characteristics. When issues arise with a group of students, the issue could be as easy to solve as trying to cater to their generational values rather than your own. These are ideas that I had not thought much about previously, but now I plan to take into consideration when starting as a new teacher working with veteran teachers, and also when coming up with solutions for problems within my classroom. It never occurred to me that working with members of other generations could be so difficult or so simple to solve.
Laura
I found this article interesting and, in some ways, surprising. First of all, I completely agree that generational differences can present conflicts and misunderstandings in the workplace because each generation communicates differently and has differing sets of values and beliefs; I can see this within my own family. However, I did not realize that this is the first time in history that we have four generations “working side by side” (Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y). Now that this fact has been brought to my attention, however, I realize that it is extremely important that each generation learns to understand and foster respect for the others. The article makes an interesting point along these lines: it claims that in order to understand others, one first must understand him or herself. So, I took it upon myself to figure out if I fit in with the charts’ sets of criteria for my generation (Generation Y). For the most part, I did, and I can see how many of my peers reflect the values and beliefs that the charts recognize. It was also helpful to see how the typical values/beliefs of my generation stacked up against those of the other generations in a side-by-side comparison. Reading this article also made me aware of the fact that as a future teacher, I am going to be working with colleagues from all different generations, not just Millennials like myself. I also realize that the transition from college, in which I am for the most part surrounded by individuals who are close to my age and share many of the same values/beliefs as me, into the professional world could pose a challenge. For example, there will be teachers in my school who have been teaching for many years and consequentially could have entirely different philosophies than my own.